Weft replenishing loom



Sept. 27, 1938. E; A M H 2,131,114

WEFT REPLENI SHING LOOM Filed Sept. 4, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet INVENTORS ERA/5574,1103

IV 1 MORE/5 BORNSTE/N BY W ATTORNEY Sept. 27, 1938. E. A. MORIN ET AL 2,131,114

WEFT REPLENI$HING LOOM Filed Sept. 4, 1957 5' Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS EENE'STA. Mom

JV MOPQ/ 5 ealaws TE/N Sept. 27, 1938. E. A. MORIN El AL WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 4, 1937 INVEN TORS- ERNESTA/WOR/N MORE 5 EOE/V57 E IN M f 1 ATT RNEY p 27, 1938. E. A. MORIN Em 2,131,114

WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM Filed Sept. 4, .1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS ERNESTAMOH J I MORE/5 80E .5? N

TTOR Y Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES! WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM Ernest A. Morin and Morris Bernstein, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada, a'ssignors to Gensolidated Silk Mills, Ltd., Montreal,. Quebec.

Canada Application September 4, 1937-, Serial No." 162,492

Claims.

: weighs. about 1b., and is projected from side to 1;5 siderable trouble, causing breakage, thereby en tailing undue loss of time and money.

Realizing the advantages of automatically replenishing the weft, the invention seeks to provide a' mechanism which, although automatic in its function, stops the weaving operation while the change in shuttles is being made.

The invention therefore has for-its primary object the provision of a loom having means for stopping the weaving function thereof, exchanging a full shuttle for a depleted one, and restarting the weaving function consecutively and automatically.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism having means forfeeling the shuttles and to bring into operation the'shuttle changing and loom control mechanism upon said feeling means encountering a depleted or nearly depleted shuttle.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a weft replenishing mechanism which may be separately constructed and incorporated in a loom of standard design.

A further object is to provide novel means for feeling the shuttles to determine whether they need replacing.

A still further object is to provide improved means for storing full shuttles ready for insertion into the ,loom.

The invention also contemplates novel and. im-

proved means for synchronizing the loom starting and stopping mechanism and the shuttle exchanging mechanism.

Also contemplated are various safety features designed to protect the loom mechanism should a shuttle become inadvertently jammed during the replacing operation.

While the contemplated mechanism may be successfully employed with a single shuttle loom, its greater use will be found with multiple shuttle looms and the invention therefore contemplates the'provision ofsimple and accurate means for selecting from'the shuttle storing means a shuttle having the same type of yarn as had the one which it is. to replace.

In the accompanying drawings, a mechanism of the contemplated character has been-disclosed in its preferred embodiment; as-the' following specification, based on these drawings, progresses,

- the foregoing and many other objects, advantages; and features of the'invention will become more clearly apparent.

In the drawings:-

1-is a front'view of the mechanism con templated in this invention as incorporated on a loom of standard design, the weaving instrumentalities of the loom-being omitted and the loom being foreshortened.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the mechanism as seen from the left of Fig. 1.

Fig.3 is-a top, plan view of a shuttle storing. means as -employed in the present invention.

Fig; 4 is a. front view thereof.

Fig.=5 is, a top plan view of a shuttle receiving box'carried on the lay at the left of the machine.

Fig; 6'is an enlarged cross sectional view takenthrough; the receiving box and shuttle storing means in one of their cooperating. positions.

Fig. 7 is a'top plan view of a transmission box employed in the mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a side view of said box with thefront side wall removed.

Fig. 9 is adetail sectional view as taken on the-line 9-'-9 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a front-view to an enlarged scale of the yarn feeler means.

The loom inthe usual manner is. provided with a shipper handle H, a clutch C and a brake B,-

the latter two being controlled by said handle. Thus, when the loom is started the shipper handle is moved to release the brake and engage the clutch, the reverse being true when the loom is to bestopped.

The mechanism contemplated in the present invention is designed to automatically declutch the machine and set the brake to stop the operationof the loom when a full shuttle is to be exchangedfor an empty one; and to automatically reclutch the machine and release the brake-after the change has been made so the loom may continue itsoperative function.

In the usual manner and referring more particularlyto Fig. 2, themachine is provided with a lay. L. which is oscillated through the medium of a. crank- 25 on 'a crankshaft 26 by means of a connecting link or links 21. The previously two revolutions of the crankshaft for each revo-' lution of the camshaft.

On the camshaft 28 there is provided a cam 29 having a projection 39 and a slightly depressed portion 3| on the periphery thereof. Engaged with said cam there is one arm 32 of a bellcrank lever pivoted at 33 and carrying on its other arm 34, a dog 35 which is provided with a bifurcated free end 36. To an intermediate portion of the dog 35 there is preferably connected a rod 31 which is moved by the floating core of a sole noid 38. Thus as seen from Fig. 2 the cam 29, through the medium of the projection 30 will cause oscillation of the mentioned bell crank lever and hence to and fro movement of the dog 35. When the solenoid core is in the low or deenergized position the bifurcation 36 will pass beneath, and therefore, out of engagement with lug 39 carried by a shift rod 49 which is arranged to have connection through the medium of .a rod 4|, with the shipper handle. Similarly, it can be seen that when the solenoid core is in the high or energized position the mentioned bifurcation will engage said lug 39 to shift the rods 48 and 4| and thus move the shipper handle H to set the brake and declutch the machine. The above, is therefore, a cam controlled means for stopping the operation of the loom. The means for energizing the solenoid will be later described.

It is desired in the present instance when the loom is brought to a stop in its operation, to set in motion mechanism for effecting the exchange for an empty shuttle ofa full one so the loom may continue its weaving operation. For this purpose there is provided a transmission box 42 in which are located parallel shafts 43, 44. -On the former there is loosely mounted a sprocket 45 connected as by means of a chain 46 to a sprocket 41 on the camshaft 26. Carried with the sprocket and also free of the shaft 43 there is provided a pinion 48 in mesh with a gear 49 mounted for rotation on the shaft 44. Since both the pinion 49 and the shaft 49 are freely mounted on their respective shafts, the mechanism in the transmission box 42 will remain at rest during the operation of the loom.

The mentioned transmission mechanism best shown in Figs. '7 and 8, will be set in motion when the bifurcation 36 on the dog 35 engages the lug 39. This is accomplished by the shift rod 49 which carries a pivoted pawl 50 engaged with a rock lever 5| in the form of a bell crank pivoted at 52 and having connection through the medium of a link 53 with a lever 54 mounted on a shaft 55 journalled in the transmission box 42. Upon the shaft 55 there is also mounted a control lever 56, the free end of which is arranged to engage the end 5'! of a lock motion lever 58. This latter lever is pivotally mounted upon a member 59 keyed .at 68 to the shaft 44 and arranged alongside of the gear 49.

The end of the lock motion lever 58 opposite to the stop end is provided with a pin or the like 6| and the gear 49 is provided with a plurality of holes or seats 62 which are adapted to receive the pin 6| in a manner later set forth. A spring 63 is arranged between lock motion lever 58 and the member 59 to tend to urge the pin 6| into one of the holes 62. Normally, however, the free end of the lever 56 engages the stop end 57 of the lock motion lever to hold said pin out of engagement with the holes in the gear 49. This is clearly seen in Figs. '7 and 8.

When the pawl 58 is moved to rock the rock lever 5|, the control lever 56 is moved out of engagement with the mentioned stop end of the lock motion lever permitting the spring 63 to rock the last-mentioned lever about its pivot and to cause the pin 6| to seek and enter the first of the holes 62 which it may find as the gear 49 rotates.

- In this manner, the rotation of the gear 49 is imparted to the shaft 44.

A preferred manner of preventing endwise movement on theshaft 44 of the gear 49 is shown in Fig. 9 wherein one or more pins 64 are driven through the hub 65 on the gear 49 and into engagement with a circumferential groove 66 in the shaft 44.

Upon the shaft 44 there is provided a cam 61 and engaged with said cam there is provided a lever 68 mounted on the shaft 43. The free end of the lever 58 is connected by means of a rod 69 to an arm E on the movable front wall H of a shuttle box 12. Hence, the engagement of said lever 68 with the high point of said cam will cause, when the shaft 44 is rotated, said lever to be depressed to open the box 12 by moving the front wall H outward and upward around its pivot 13 as shown in Fig. 6. I

Substantially simultaneously with the opening of the box 72, means for ejecting a shuttle from said box is brought into operation. The shuttle ejector 14 is moved by a lever 15 through a rod connection 16, said latter being provided with a collar Tl engaged by an abutment 18 carried by the rod 69. A slight amount of free play is provided between the collar H and the abutment 18 so that the front wall H of the box opens in advance of the actuation of the ejector 14. The return movement of the front wall H and the ejector is effected through the medium of the respective springs 19 and 19. (Figs. and 6.)

The ejector I4 dislodges a shuttle in the box 12 which then falls in a receiving box |2|, being guided by a leather apron |22 or the like.

To further complete the description of the box 12, means are provided as a check for the picker stick P, said means comprising a springcheck such as is generaly shown at 89.

Upon the shaft 44, there is provided another cam 8| with which is engaged a lever 82 also mounted on the shaft 43. This cam and lever are designed to actuate the mechanism for providing a full shuttle for insertion into the box 12 after an empty one has been ejected from said box. To this end a shuttle magazine 83 is provided and in the present instance comprises a magazine having two compartments 84 and 85, each of which is arranged to support shuttles in stacked relation, the lowermost shuttle of each stack being respectively supported upon the inreaching ends 88 and 87 of bell crank levers 8888a and 9989a.

The lever 89 is provided with a sleeve 98 having an arm 9| aflixed thereto and the lever 89a is similarly provided with a sleeve 98a having an arm 9|a affixed thereto. A link 92 connects the free ends of the arms 9| and 9|a.

The arm 88 is provided with a shaft 93 projecting through the sleeve 96 and has aflixed thereon an arm 94. In a like manner, the lever 88a is provided with a shaft 93a having a lever portion 94a. The free ends of the levers or arms 94, 940., are connected as by the link 95.

The arm 9| or the sleeve 90 may have aflixed thereto an arm 96 substantially at right angles to the arm 1 9 I and ;'in a somewhat similarimanner the shaft 93' maybe ibentto'fornraanfarm 91;:disposed at righttangles to: theaarm 94. s

I Each of the arms/96, Where-respectively con- 'nected to links 98zand'z99 which in turnaarescconnectedzto theen'dstofzthe respective leversalillll and Illl. These latter leversnare :mounted :for separate rotation upon;.a tcom-moniaxisysuch as shown at I02.

The lever Innis-provided with'ta downereaching portion :termnating in .a J lateral extension I03 and :the lever IUI ris"similarly provided awith 'a lateral extension ItIl4, the? former being disposed below the latter.

The laterally -extendingarmslll3pl04 arearranged to be selectively enga'ged bya projection, stud or the like'I05 'carriedriby the. upper end of a rod I06 pivoted at IO'I atitsi-lower'endito'anarm I08 mounted.:at I 09conithe "machine. JIfhe .arm

I I08 is "carried .ion theileftehaznd "side :of the machine as viewed from the frontand its mounting-shait I 09 isextended along thefront'otthe machine to mount a-lever I I0 :whichis disposed at the right-hand side of the machine said latter -lever being connected. as by means-of :a link'I II to the vibrator-arm II'2 which'isaemployedto move the-box rod =II3 *as will zbeihereinaiter described.

From the above it maybe seen' that thevertical 'positionof the stud a I05andzthe vertical position 'IOf thebox rod II 3 are synchronized and depend on .the vibrator mechanisminot shown) which formspart tof'the' loom. 2Hence,when' the stud is in'the highposition, movement thereof will .35 causethe ends r86-of .;the'levers:.88, .:-88a to be withdrawn so1that.a= shuttle supported on these 'endseinthe compartments maytfall .upon a shuttle carrier I I4; whensa-id stud-is inits' low 5 position in engagement-with the lateral extension 40 lIl3,'the endsBI'of'the levers-'89,.89awill-be withdrawn to dropca'shuttle:fromtlthe comp-art- -ment 85 onto said shuttle? carrier I I4. The mentioned rod I86, :whichis "vertically :moved as above described,.is. also-adapted: to be'="moved in 5 a plane torock whichever extending arm IIJ3- H14 opposite which the stud I05 is disposed. In this manner ashuttle from .either selected compa-rtment 84-85 is droppedontottheshuttle carrier-H4. This. laterzimotionzof the rod I-lJ6- will 50 be later' described.

The shuttle carrier I I4 is carried on the end of a lever II5 pivoted at I I6 to themachine'frame and intermediate itst lengthat t I I1, said lever is connected to a link I I8. In the present instance .55 it is preferred that this connection be readily'disengaged should the leveribelzaccidentallyhalted in its movementiasifor. instance by :a shuttle: be- "coming jammed duringiremovali'fromz' the magazine. For this purposethe link II8; is:'provided 0 with :a hinged portion II-S 'springtensioned' asrat 'IZI} to engage the connection stud I I! between itself and the link IIB.

Since the link-is connected to thementioned lever 32, which through the medium. of the -.cam 5 -8I, moves the lever II-5, should. said'latter lever be halted by a jammed shuttle, thedescribedrdisengageable connection will function to. free 'the lever from control: of the :cam -8I.

The lever II5 isadaptedtocbefirst movedtin a 70 direction towardsthewfront-lof theloom .so-it may engage againstxthemod lfltito-irnpart .to said rod the'above-mentioned second 'motion. The cam 8! is formed with adepression' as shown in the upper portion thereof (Fig.8) so the; lever -82 may transmit;.this motionto saidr-leven-II5 through the medium 20f :the .link I I8. After :'a

shuttle. is dropped upon the'shuttle carrier I I I-as rabove set forth, the lever I I5 is moved in a:direc- ,tion towards the-rear of the loom by therhigh :rise on'said cam. 8 Iatosdepositsaid shuttle in the 5:5

shutt1e:box"l2. The: lever II5 is.=;now adapted to return to its position being urged inthat direction .by' the spring I I So under "control of the cam "8|. .-A spring lffifia is also provided tocholdthe studEIIl5 on the rod I06 from engagementwith (do the lever extensions: I03I:Il4 except when moved thereagainst by the lever I I5.

From the foregoing it can be seen that during the-mentionedvibrator mechanism through the e20 medium of the levers I08 and I Ill, and the rod I'05.. "The lever 82 is yieldingly connected to the link -'II8 asuanuadded safety to permit 'saidi lever to be moved: by. its; cam-should connecting; portions become jammed.- Thus, should the link I I8 beheld 5.25 from movement bya failure of a proper exchange of a full-shuttle for an empty one, the-lever--82 -"will'be'able to move bycompressing the spring I23.

In this manner breakage in the mechanism; isobyiated. :The spring I23is of-sufficient rigidity to 030 --afford; positive movement of the link IIB by the :lever 32,: said spring yielding to the" movement of said lever 'only' under the =ab0ve+mentionedz abnormal conditions.

*After'the exchange of shuttles is "made,1itiis e desired to restart the operationof the loom; i. e.,

to-release the brakeand engage thejclut'ch. "For this purpose the shaft 44! is provided witha third cam I24 having engagement with a l-ever I25 which, at-its upper end is connectedto :a link e -I25engaged with the-shipper harrdle H. The eam I24 is:designed,'after the shuttlev exchange has been made; to move the shipper handle in the direction to 'releasethe brake "and engage i the clutch. Thus the loom will restart itsoperation. 45

The-means for determining when the'quill or bobbin of a shuttle is empty of yarn or nearly so and? which energizes the solenoid.-38'which operates to set into motion the mechanism foriper I forming the above described shuttlerreplenishing 5 -mechanism,- will now be described.

In the usual manner the loom at its right hand side, as shown in Fig. l is provided with a shuttle tbox I21, which in the present instance is formed with two horizontally'disposedbox compartments I28 and I29. This box is arrangedvasa continuation of the race R of the lay L and it is from this box that av shuttle is projected along the race to the receiving box I2 atthe left of the machine to'lay a weft thread-in relation to the warp ends 060 -and,then.reprojected from said-receiving box I2 .back to the shuttle box to lay another weft thread. 7

.Depending'onthe type of fabricrto be woven thexmentionedvibrator mechanism through the medium :of the arm II2, moves the shuttle rod II3 to shiftthe shuttle box I2'I'to the selected compartment I28 or. IJEQaligned with the race of the lay. As shown in Fig 1, the: lower compartment I 29 is so aligned'for'the projection of :aiO

shuttle therefrom along the lay. This movement of :theshuttle box .bythe rod II3 isthus synchronized with the movementof the rod IIIB whichxcarries the selector :pin I05. Thus when the lower: compartment I'29lis aligned with the {.76

race, the pin I05 is adapted to engage the lower arm I03 of the releasing mechanism in the magazine compartment 84, (Fig. 4,) and when the upper compartment I28 is aligned with the race, said pin I05 is adapted to engage the upper arm I04 of the releasing mechanism in the magazine compartment 85.

In relation to the shuttle box there is arranged a pair of feelers I30 and I3I, the former being adapted to be contacted by the quill of a shuttle in the upper compartment I2Il and the latter by the quill of a shuttle in the lower compartment I29.

Each feeler comprises a vertically disposed plate I32, fixedly but adjustably carried at I33 by the lay. Each plate I 32 is formed with curved lip portion I34 having a slot I35, said lip portion being formedon the ends of the plates I32 nearest the quills. The opposite end of each plate is formed with a flange I36 and provided with a hole for the passage th'erethrough of a stem I31 of a feeler member I38 which is engaged in the slot I35. Each feeler member I38 is provided at its end with a plurality of slits, serrations, knurls, or the like I39, these ends being adapted to feel or engage against the yarn on the quills by means of compression springs I40 disposed between abutments on the feeler members and the flanges I36.

It is apparent from the above that when the shuttle box is moved to bring a yarn covered quill into contact with a feeler member, that member will be moved in a straight line against its spring since the mentioned slits I39 will have effective contact with the yarn on that quill.

When the yarn on a quill has become depleted the quill will be exposed to contact by the feeler member. Now, when the feeler member is urged back, it will slide along the smooth surface of the quill and thus become cocked as shown in Fig. 10. In this condition, it will come in contact with a contact member I42 carried by the plate I32 but insulated therefrom. An electrical connection I43 is made between the feelers and the solenoid 38 and when the mentioned contact is made said solenoid is energized as previously described.

In brief the operation of the machine is as follows:---"

The shuttles in the shuttle box are selectively projected back and forth along the lay to provide the weft threads for the fabric woven by the loom. When a feeler becomes cocked to close the solenoid circuit, the cam 29 through its bell crank lever 32-34 will urge the bifurcation 36 to engage the lug 39 on the shift rod 43 to set the brake B and release the clutch C thus stopping the weaving function of the loom. Simultaneously, the dog 50 will rock the lever 5| which, through its connections with the control lever 56, will cause the lock motion lever to couple the shaft 44 with the driving train operated by the crankshaft 2'6. The cams 61, 8| and I24 will then make one complete revolution. The control lever 56 will resume its initial vertical position in the path of the end 51 of the stop motion lever 58 when the bell crank 32 rides off the high point 30 of the cam 29. This occurs during the rotation of the cam shaft 44. Thus, at the end of one revolution, the stop motion lever 58 will be rocked bythe reengagement between its end 51 and the control lever 53 to Withdraw the pin 6| from engagement with the hole 62 in the gear 49. In this manner the cam shaft is stopped and the shuttle changing mechanism comes to rest.

During the cycle of movement of the mentioned cams, the depleted shuttle in the box I2 will be ejected and immediately subsequently a full shuttle from the magazine will be fed to the empty box 12, which will then close. time, the brake will be released and the clutch reengaged to restart the loom.

While a preferred form of the invention has been disclosed, the type of mechanism which may be employed to carry out the concepts of the invention, may be changed in many ways by skilled persons without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. Hence, the prior art rather than the instant disclosure should form the basis of interpretation of the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to obtain by Letters Patent is:--

1. In a multicolor weft replenishing loom having a multistack shuttle magazine, the combinanected therewith and carrying an arm, a member =1 having a notched portion in position to be engaged by said arm and movable thereby upon movement of said shift element, unitary onecycle actuating means arranged at the end of the loom corresponding with the weft replenishing means and including a cam and a control lever for controlling the actuation of the cam, said control lever being connected with the member and actuated thereby, and means operated by said cam for actuating the weft replenishing means.

2. In a multicolor Weft replenishing loom having a multicolor magazine for reserve shuttles of different types, the combination with weft replenishing means, of mechanism for stopping the operation of the loom upon the depletion of weft and having a rectilinearly movable shift rod, a pawl pivotally carried by said shift rod, a member having a shoulder engaged by said pawl and movable thereby upon movement of said shift rod, a

control lever connected with said member, a lock- =1 motion lever in position for engaging the control lever, a one-revolution shaft having keying connection with the lock-motion lever, a gear freely mounted on saidshaftand having circumferentially disposed seats, a pin on the lock-motion,

means operated by said cam for actuating the Weft replenishing means.

3. In a multicolor loom having a multistack shuttle magazine and means for stopping the operation of the loom upon depletion of weft, the combination with weft replenishing means arranged at an end of the loom, of a unitary trans,- mission device arranged at the end of the loom corresponding with the weft replenishing means and having means including an actuating cam for successively replenishing the weft and restarting the operation of the loom, one-cycle operated means for actuating said cam and including a lock-motion lever for controlling the operation of said cam; and means operable on depletion of Weft for controlling actuation of the lock-motion lever to'provide for rotation of the cam including a shift rod connected with the loom stopping means and having an abutment, a shiftable dog, power means for moving said shiftable dog relativeto the shift rod, and means actuated on de- At this pletion of weft for moving said shiftable dog into position for engagement with the abutment and for operating the shift rod thereby.

4. In a multicolor loom having means for stopping the operation of the loom upon depletion of weft, the combination with weft replenishing means, of a unitary transmission device having means including an actuating cam for succes sively replenishing the weft and restarting the operation of the loom, said device including a continually driven shaft and a one-revolution shaft, said cam being carried by said latter shaft, gearing connecting said shafts together and including a gear provided with circumferentially disposed seats, said gear being freely mounted on said one-revolution shaft, a lock-motion lever mounted on said one-revolution shaft for rotation therewith and for rocking movement in a plane transverse to the axis thereof, a pin on said lever in position to engage one of said seats, means for holding said pin out of said engagement during the normal operation of the loom, a shift rod connected with the loom stopping means and having an abutment, a shiftable dog, power means for moving said shiftable dog relative to the shift rod and means operable upon depletion of weft for moving said shiftable dog into position for engaging the abutment and for operating the shift rod thereby to stop the loom thereby, a dog pivotally carried by said member,

a solenoid, means for energizing said solenoid upon depletion of weft, a connection between the solenoid and the dog whereby the dog is positioned out of the path of the stop member when the solenoid is deenergized and is positioned in the path of said stop member when the solenoid is energized to impart rectilinear movement to mechanism, and means connected with and. brought into action by actuation of saidstopping mechanism for actuating the weft replenishing means upon stopping of the operation of the loom.

ERNEST A. MORIN. MORRIS BORNSTEIN.

the shift rod for operating the loom stopping 

